Tom Cruise Turned Down One Of The Lead Roles In Ford v. Ferrari For The Most Tom Cruise Reason Imaginable

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Summary

  • Tom Cruise turned down a role in Ford v Ferrari for one very specific reason.
  • Cruise prefers roles with daring stunts, as seen in Mission: Impossible movies.
  • Ford v Ferrari was a critical and commercial success despite Cruise declining a role.

Tom Cruise might be primarily recognized for portraying Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible series. In these films, he is often seen executing daring stunts that border on life-threatening. He never shies away from risky situations and consistently exceeds expectations of what an action hero can achieve. This bravery occasionally overshadows some of his other, more emotionally intense roles that don’t include leaping from tall buildings or scaling mountains mid-flight.

As a seasoned movie reviewer, I’ve witnessed Tom Cruise grace the silver screen with an impressive array of unforgettable characters over the years – from the fiery Les Grossman in “Tropic Thunder,” the enigmatic Lestat in “Interview With The Vampire,” to the rockstar Stacee Jaxx in “Rock of Ages.” Yet, it’s his decision not to accept a lead role in “Ford v Ferrari” that truly embodies the Cruise spirit.

Intrigued? Let me explain…

Recently, I had a chat with The National to talk about Formula 1 (F1). During our conversation, I shared an intriguing story from the making of Ford v Ferrari, where I and Tom Cruise were both in the running for the two lead roles. At that point, it was planned for Cruise to portray Carroll Shelby, with me stepping into the shoes of Ken Miles. However, as I recounted, Cruise began to lose interest in the part because we both desired to drive, and he wanted to play Carroll Shelby, while I wanted to embody Ken Miles. When Tom discovered that Carroll Shelby wouldn’t be doing much driving in the film, it didn’t resonate with him. Ultimately, Matt Damon took on the role of Shelby, while Christian Bale portrayed Ken Miles. If I manage to get a sequel to F1 underway, Cruise might get his chance to drive again. Interestingly enough, Ford v Ferrari was directed by Joseph Kosinski, who also steered another one of Tom’s latest blockbusters, Top Gun: Maverick. In that film, Tom, along with the rest of the cast, actually flew in Naval jets. Although the actual pilots were doing the flying, it’s clear that Cruise yearned to take the controls himself.

Tom Cruise might have been disappointed when he learned that the role didn’t involve much driving, considering his career focus on delivering jaw-dropping stunts. In fact, in his latest movie, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” Cruise left audiences spellbound with not just one but two mind-blowing action sequences. One took place underwater as he delved into a submerged Russian submarine, and the other, which gained much attention, was an awe-inspiring mid-air stunt during the film’s climax. This death-defying feat reportedly didn’t rely on any green screen technology. Throughout his “Mission: Impossible” journey, Cruise has pulled off numerous daring feats, such as leaping from a motorcycle off a cliff in “Dead Reckoning” and executing a HALO jump in “Fallout.

Despite the absence of Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt in the film “Ford v Ferrari”, it managed to rake in a remarkable $225 million at the box office. Critics and viewers alike adored this movie, as evident by its 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (the audiences’ enthusiasm was even more pronounced with a 98% score on the Popcorn Meter). Furthermore, it garnered four Academy Award nominations, including a nod for Best Picture. It ultimately took home two awards in the categories of Best Film Editing and Best Sound Editing.

Ford v Ferrari is available to stream on Disney+.

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2025-07-04 19:46